Disclaimer: I own nothing! Belongs to Masashi Kishimoto!
Chapter 28 Nine Tails…!
The red Chakra whipped and turned; flowing up high in the air like flames. Haku gasped at the form of the fire like chakra took, the head of a terrifying growling monster. "He-her! Chakra! It's physically manifesting itself! Such killing intent!"
She calmly stood, the ties in her hair ripped from the winds that swirled around in the tiny prison. The sound of sizzling drew his attention to her badly cut bloody hands. To his surprise the wounds healed with each heat wave that passed over her. "What is she?!"
Kakashi and Zabuza shudder at the intense chakra that shot through the air, the feeling only increasing by the minute. "No! It can't be! Did she break the seal all on her own!?" Kakashi calmed himself at the next feeling, suppression. "Good… it's not fully broken… but maybe cracked." He raised his head up at his enemy; he could tell the he also felt the power. "Well Zabuza turns out we have to hurry things along now… so how about we settle this on one big blow? Winner takes all?" the man quirked a none existent eyebrow "intriguing notion Kakashi… alright show me what you've got!"
"She's about to attack!" just as predicted the monster charged at his mirror. He tossed two Senbon's at her, hoping that the attack would momentarily stall her. Instead he hadn't anticipated a blood thirsty roar that shook the very mirrors he took refuge in. The power behind the single roar sent the weapons spinning to the ground a new surge of fear coursed through him. "She didn't even touch them to deflect them!" he was now above her hoping to get a surprise attack from the angle. He struck downwards, only for her to tumble sideways out of his range of attack. Gathering his wits he made for the closest mirror. He was struck, thrown backwards but was still very close to the girl.
She let out another blood curdling yell. This time the ice popped and cracked from the sudden amount of chakra. Haku tried to use another escape tactic, but the grip on his arm from the blond crushed his forearm. He looked up to a sadist smirk on her animalist features, fangs bared. The crystal walls broke into shattered ice pieces after the impact of Haku's limp body was thrown through them.
He skidded to a stop, on the outside of his ice fortress. His attacker stood in the heaps of rubble, slowly crouching on all fours. She pushed on her back legs, rushing at him for the killing blow. "I…. am finished….. Master Zabuza…" the remains of his broken mask slipped from his face. Expressionless look held nothing but a broken boy, devoid of all human life.
Naruko was in front of him fist only inches away from his face. Her face was hidden underneath the shadow of hair. "You're… soft hair…." He gave her a surprised look "Why did you stop? I killed your comrade, your beloved friend!" She turned her head to the body of her friend, the anger resurfaced. "…Damn…."
The hit had staggered him, but wasn't enough to kill.
"Often… people have it wrong when they show mercy to their enemies, and pass it off as kindness… can't you see-?" he wiped the blood that dripped from the corner of his mouth. "It's an empty existence… to go on living alone and unloved… when defeats already cost you your dream!" Her red rimmed eyes widened "What…?" That smile… that same smile he wore in the forest, showed he was happy and content, seemed hollow and over used to her now. "Master Zabuza has no use for a weak shinobi. You've taken away my only reason for living." He chuckled softly.
"WHY WASTE ALL THAT DEVOTION ON SUCH A CREEP?! THAT MERCENARY SCUMBAG DOESN'T CARE WHO HE WORKS FOR OR WHO HE HURTS! JUST SO SOMEONE PAYS HIM! IS HE SERIOUSLY YOUR BELOVED PERSON?!" Her confused outburst silenced Him.
"Once…. I was once precious… I was beloved, by my parents." Her tear stained face reminded him so much of the reflection he seen in cold waters of his beloved home.
"I was once born in a snowy little village, in the land of mist. And I was kind, my parents were good kind people…but…" was that pity she held in her eyes? He looked down to avoid that look. "Just as I was getting old enough to really notice the world around me… something happened." "What happened?" He stared down at his blood covered hand. "Blood, my blood-""blood?" they both remained where they stood not daring to move.
"My father killed my mother… and tried to kill me as well." she looked taken back; why on earth would a father try to do that? It sickened her "The land of mist has been the scene of non-stop war. Among its people those who possessed a Kekkei Genkai are loathed and marked as abominations. Those of the bloodline were used, the skills deemed them as harbingers of doom… once the wars were over, they were all exterminated. Exposure meant death…" he looked behind her at Sasuke's body. "I'm sure he understood the pain of which I speak…" "Sasuke?"
"My father learned that my mother came from such a clan… and before I knew it, he had died by my hand. Forced to accept what I was, was the most painful thing…" "The most painful?" "Accepting I was alone in the world, superfluous, unwanted, shunned." A wave of sympathy hit her. It felt wrong to pity this boy, the one who killed Sasuke. She looked away from him. "Didn't you tell me once, that you wanted to be number one in your village, so everyone would respect you? If you had a person who did more than that… who acknowledged your existence, even cared for you…. Wouldn't that person become the most important person in your life?" for once she was silent.
"… Master Zabuza adopted me, evening knowing what I was. The very thing everyone hated, he not only overlooked it, he cherished it, and he wanted It." his voice cracked from emotion. "I was happy…" her heart crumbled from sadness. The tears flowed freely, why would anyone allow such a person suffer so much? She cried for him.
Hands gripped hers tightly, confused, she stared into his eyes.
"Naruko… please take my life."
"This posturing is getting nowhere Kakashi!" Zabuza's voice called from the heavy mist. "While you can't tell where I am! I know where you are! And how to defeat you! You are completely doomed!" His victory was short lived when a pack of dogs rose up from the ground. Un-expectantly latching onto his arms and legs. Rendering him completely immobilized.
"When all eyes and ears fail you… you only have to rely on your nose, and you're covered in my blood. Which made you much more easily to find you…" he struggled against the dog's that held him. "This is the end!"